Pilots die after ejecting from 'doomed jet'

Two pilots had to eject from their low-flying Impala fighter aircraft after its engine apparently failed about 30km from Nelspruit. But neither managed to parachute to safety, police in Mpumalanga have reported.

One of the pilots was killed when he parachuted into a moving truck on the N4 highway between Nelspruit and Komatipoort, said a police spokesperson, Captain Benjamin Bhembe. The second one did not survive his landing on a rocky patch near the highway.

The SA National Defence Force confirmed the crash and the death of the two pilots. It said the Impala was on a low-level navigation flight. The military provided no further details, but said a board of inquiry had been convened to investigate the accident.

Bhembe said the Impala jet appeared to have been flying more or less above the highway about 30km from Nelspruit.

"It apparently developed engine trouble and the two pilots used their ejector seats," Bhembe said

"The one who parachuted into the truck hit the windscreen of the vehicle before landing on the back. He apparently died on impact."

The glass of the windscreen cracked, slightly injuring the passenger in the truck. Bhembe said the wreck of the aircraft was lying about 10m from the road.

The SANDF extended its condolences to the family of the two pilots, whose names would only be released after their next-of-kin had been informed.

Sapa